The module couldn't be easier to use. Plug it in, and follow the prompts. It is fairly slow--I imagine it's compressing the data or something, because it takes several minutes to backup 8MB. Even at the slowest imaginable serial speed it shouldn't take that long. Still, it's a nice product, and it's a great value. I could even envision getting a couple of these and keeping one "off-site" backup (i.e. not always in the slot) as well as one always in the slot. One note--I'm not positive of this, but I think my battery got used up slightly faster with the module in place.
The module makes an exact copy of the RAM. That means no re-installing or re-synching needed if a complete hard reset occurs. NONE. Your AvantGo, Vindigo, Epocrates data will be exactly snapshotted where it was on the day you synched. This is great, because it takes much less time to "restore" from backup on the module than it does to re-install everything. One note of caution, you'll blast anything you've entered (address book, calendar, to-do) since the backup. You can fix this by uploading these after the refresh from your desktop.
I would give this product 5 stars if it were FASTER. Otherwise it's perfect.
Here's my testimonial: I bought the backup module nearly a year ago and never had to use its restore function. I would just back up every week or so and go about my business. Then I cracked the screen on my Visor somehow and couldn't use the stylus for any data entry. Handspring sent me a replacement Visor (for $85 and they shipped it the next day) and I simply plugged in the backup module and I was back on track without missing a beat. I keep a ton of applications (Pocket Quicken, Dietlog, Fitsync, Noah Lite Dictionary, Avantgo, Vindigo, etc.) on my Visor and thankfully I didn't have to reinstall any of the software.
The convenience of the backup module means I will probably remain loyal to Handspring for the duration, especially if I ever upgrade from my Visor Deluxe to the Edge or Prism. Transferring all of my stuff from one Visor to another was simply a breeze with this backup module.
My visor crashed several times and I had to do a hard reset (loosing all data and software installed). But with this springboard, you can restore everything back with a click of "Restore" button.
I was taking a flight to the west coast and loaded up my Visor with books to read, games to play and other stuff to keep entertained. I also had all my travel details on it.
I arrived at the airport, walked through the metal detector with the Visor in my pocket, and had a seat thinking I would whip it out and get busy.
Nope! It had been wiped and it was in constant reset mode. I had to take out the batteries for it to stop it.
Now, I use the backup module and store it in a different place when I travel. It is also great for when you Visor has one of those mysterious crashes and asks if you want to reset it and wipe all your data. Of course, *NO* is not an option so it is all gone. The Backup Module saves the day..every time.
Get one and let out a sigh of relief.
